Mentor program in New Mexico targets leaders

Next Generation Economy Inc. has begun a leadership mentoring program called the Entrepreneurial Leadership Excelerator.

TRIBUNE STAFF
The Albuquerque Tribune.

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Can your community or region emmulate a program like this? Mentoring and networking are key to a vibrant and sustainable economy- Russ

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Taught by executive mentor and author Michael Shenkman, the program will target people who have started or now run organizations, or have moved up through their organizations and hold positions of responsibility.

"We need to work with people at a particular point in their lives, when they realize leadership is demanding in different ways than they ever thought it would be," Shenkman said. "The ideal candidate wants to lead and cares about becoming a leader. They’re not in it just for the money, power or prestige. First and foremost, they want to organize people to bring about great things. They’re not people who think saying `no’ constitutes being a leader."

The eight-month program begins in March. A maximum of 15 participants will consult mentors assigned to them, read selected biographies of leaders and meet in four group sessions.

"The most important part of the program is the mentoring relationship we offer to each of our participants," Shenkman said. "We use mentoring because we deeply believe there is no cookie-cutter approach to developing leaders. Each leader is assigned a mentor who is there to listen and help him or her gain access to the kind of self-awareness and acceptance necessary to be a leader."

The program was envisioned by technology entrepreneur Paul Shirley, CEO of Qynergy Corp. and former CEO of SVS Inc. He pursued the idea as a board member of Next Generation Economy.

The excelerator is a good initiative for Next Generation, said President and CEO Mike Skaggs. "We’re so interested in the relationship between CEOs and the community," he said.

In promoting industry clusters, which is Next Generation’s mission, it’s important that "business representatives understand the role of leadership as it relates to the company, the employees, the customers and the community."

The program is based on Shenkman’s Arch of Leadership, which grew out of his experiences as a consultant, executive coach and leadership mentor. "Every single point in the program comes out of conversations with young and growing leaders, and not from books," Shenkman said.

Shenkman is president of Albuquerque-based Keystone International Inc.’s Strategic Development Group and the author of three books on leadership.

Organizers are recruiting mentors who are running businesses and organizations. Mentors should be "superb listeners," Shenkman said.

The program’s cost of $500 is subsidized by Next Generation and sponsoring organizations.

For more information contact Margaret Coombs at Next Generation Economy at 843-4098.

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